Deserters in Missouri & Arkansas

[Slowalkintexan]

I recently read a mystery about deserters, and the people living in the Ozarks during the final days of the war. I would like to find more information about this time and area, and what was going on in Missouri and Arkansas as the war was winding down, soldiers were getting tired of the war and trying to find their way home, and the "bad guys" that were preying on the families left behind and struggling in the Ozarks while their menfolk were away fighting.

Where can I find more information?

[leftyhunter]

There is a ton of books written about the conflict in MO and Ark that have been written in the last few years. A good website to check out is"Missouri in the Civil War disscussion board". Most of the Confederates were pardoned after the CW. Some such has Little Archie Clement who was a sub commander of the Bloody Bill Anderson band was killed after the CW. T.J. Stiles biography of Jesse James is a good place to start. "The history of Northern Mo and Southern Ark by William Monk a colonel in the Union Army organized former Union and CSA a soldiers to eliminate post CW bandit bands in Mo. In general deserters either headed west after the CW or if they persisted in breaking the law they were sent to their final reward.

Leftyhunter